


There's No Training For This

by Teej



Category: Merlin (TV)
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-03-19
Updated: 2016-03-19
Packaged: 2018-05-27 18:13:03
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 702
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6294610
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Teej/pseuds/Teej
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>How does one treat a delirious sorcerer?</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Answer to a shared inspiration writing challenge. Pick someone elses 'first' sentence and write a story around. I chose the following from Narlth: 
> 
> _A multitude of choice words flew through his head when he first opened the door, later he realised that not one of them could accurately describe the chaos that ensued._

Shared Inspiration. (Narlth's Sentance)

_A multitude of choice words flew through his head when he first opened the door, later he realised that not one of them could accurately describe the chaos that ensued._

The door slammed shut hard enough to knock several items off the walls, which just flew from their places to join many other objects swirling madly in the centre of his home. Backed against the door Gaius stared at the mayhem in a mixture of horror, indignation and surprise. He had only been gone a matter of minutes! Ducking a flying book, he shook himself out of his astonishment before hastily turning and bolting the door shut. No sense in letting certain royalty walk in unannounced. (To much risk of execution that way!)

Turning again, he appraised the impossible tornado before him. There was going to be one hell of a mess to clean up later once he could get rid of the fever that plagued his ward. Delirium and an untrained warlock did not mix well. If anything it was farcical and frightening at the same time. Carefully edged past the miniaturized whirlwind, ducking and bobbing as he went, Gaius knew there was no sense in getting angry. Merlin had little control in situations like this. Gaius was just relieved that the chaos contained itself to their chambers. He didn't even want to think what it could be like if Merlin's unfettered powers manifested themselves outside of their home. Bad enough he had to deal with it inside his home.

Gaining the stairs with a grunt of pain as an object bounced off his back, Gaius heaved an aggravated, yet relieved sigh, reminding himself that this could be so much, much worse. He made his way into the small room where his patient lay sprawled across his bed, blankets all ahoo and mumbling something as he tossed and turned in the grips of his fever. 

“All right my boy,” Gaius murmured, his foot catching a nearby stool and pulling it over next to the bed. “Time to get this thing under control.” From the voluminous folds of his robe he pulled out a bottle of brown liquid. “Willow bark and hollyhock tincture will get this fever down one way or another,” he said as he made preparations.

One eyebrow lifted upwards ruefully as he resettled Merlin back on the cot, “The trick now is to get it in you...”


	2. Getting It In Him

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Response to a Word Challenge:
> 
> Surrender – Yielding possession or power to another on demand or under duress.

“Stop fighting me on this, son...” Gaius murmured under his breath, struggling to hold Merlin's head upright. “Just let me get this into you!” 

He gently set a cup against Merlin's lips, trying to get the tincture he had made into his patient. Delirious, profusely sweating, and resisting, Merlin jerked his head away, all while trying to push the old physician from him.

Gaius pulled the cup back, heaving an exasperated sigh. The problem with trying to treat a warlock, especially this warlock, was that he could still wield his magic despite being desperately sick, disoriented and thinking he needed to protect himself. Gaius didn't even want to contemplate what Merlin could do to him in such a state, he'd seen the boy like this once before...

Gaius drew in a deep breath, allowing Merlin's head to roll into the crook of his arm. Incoherent sorcerer or not, he was still a patient, and he was refusing to take his medicine. 

Gaius reached up, somewhat awkwardly, tightened his arm around Merlin's head and then pinched his nose shut. For a few second, nothing happened, as Gaius prepared to strike. Then Merlin jerked, gasping for breath and Gaius instantly drained the cup's contents into his mouth. He dropped the cup, grabbed Merlin's jaw and clamped the boy's mouth shut. He promptly tried to buck Gaius away, who had gritted his teeth and was determined to hang on to whatever end. It was decided in seconds... Merlin gagged the tincture down, gasping for breath and Gaius instantly let him go, holding him down on the bed, prepared for anything. A smirk of triumph lit Gaius' face.

After a moment's pause, Merlin drew in a shuddering breath, his teeth chattering, then he abruptly relaxed, surrendering at last to a deep sleep.


End file.
